This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. A. Specific Aims: No changes haves been instituted in the aims of the awarded proposal. These are to: (1) enhance and strengthen the scientific infrastructure and research competitiveness of the Commonwealth in three specific research areas deemed to be key to advance Puerto Rico's biomedical and behavioral research capacity;(2) elevate the productivity, competitiveness, and number of human resources needed to attract established investigators in those research areas;and (3) promote the development of research skills of talented junior investigators and gifted students. The (INBRE-PR) Program Director (P.I.) leads all Steering Committee meetings from which policy, practices and implementation protocols for the INBRE-PR program emanate. The Administrative Core staff coordinates the visits of the External Advisory Committee. The External Advisory Committee makes site-visits to various INBRE-PR network institutions and has annual meetings with Junior Faculty Research awardees. The External Advisory Committee evaluates progress and forwards suggestions used to improve the program. In particular, a Mentoring Initiative (MI) in collaboration with INBRE-Kentucky is overseen by the PI and coordinated by Dr. Walter Silva. The MI therefore aims to: (1) enhance the research culture and environment of INBRE network institutions by (a) the discussion and alignment of INBRE participating institutions'strategic plans in the area of research in all of its dimensions, and, (b) organization of task forces and focus groups to identify best practices in the host of pre-award and post-award services germane to enriched environments supportive of competitive research. (2) enhance the capabilities of individual research scientists from the networking institutions by means of (a) certification of participating scientists and potential participants in a comprehensive Responsible Conduct in Research Compliance Program ([RC]2P), (b) the establishment of Individual Research Development Plans (IRDP) of present and prospective researchers, (c) organization of developmental activities to enrich and enhance core scientific skills fundamental for the development of competitive, and productive scientists, (3) assess individual, group and institutional research progress by means of the annual determination of research productivity indexes (RPI). EXTERNAL INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF PR-AABRE INBRE-PR contracted Center for Evaluation and Sociomedical Research (CIES) of the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus to serve as the external evaluator of the program. In this role the CIES will design and implement the process and outcome evaluation of INBRE-PR. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of INBRE-PR to build an institutional and statewide scientific network.